West Texas Teen Killed By Grabbing Cellphone While in Bathtub

A West Texas girl was electrocuted while visiting family in New Mexico when she reached for her cell phone while taking a bath.

Madison Coe of Lubbock, TX was taking a bath at her father's house in Lovington, NM when she either plugged in her cell phone or grabbed her phone while it was plugged in, according to Madison's grandmother Donna O'Guinn. O'Guinn told KCBD News,

There was a burn mark on her hand, the hand that would have grabbed the phone. And that was just very obvious that that’s what had happened.

Lovington police and EMS arrived at the home just after midnight on Sunday, July 9th. According to their report, Madison was unresponsive when they arrived, and EMS responders attempted to resuscitate her at the house, en route to the hospital, and at the hospital, but ultimately declared her dead shortly after arriving at the hospital.

Madison had just graduated from Terra Vista Middle School in Lubbock where she played basketball and was 1st chair with her tuba for the school band. Madison was preparing to start high school in Houston in the fall as her family was in the middle of moving to the city. Officials at her former school district issued a statement honoring Madison,

It is with heavy hearts that Frenship ISD mourns the loss of Madison Coe. We wish to share our heartfelt sympathy with her family and friends as we carry the burden of this tragedy together.

O'Guinn hopes Madison's tragedy will serve as an example to other about the dangers of electricity,

This is such a tragedy that doesn’t need to happen to anyone else. And we want something good to come out of this as awareness of not using your cell phone in the bathroom as it is plugged in and charging.

It’s overwhelming to realize that there are people that we don’t even know and we’ll probably never even meet that have taken this message and shared it to protect another child or even an adult. We don’t want to lose anybody.

We need to be aware. We need to teach our children that electricity and water do not mix. She’s just going to be greatly missed by all of us. She has a special place in my heart.